Indiana Jones and the Lost Cimarosa Manuscripts
by NorthernStarsPen
Summary: Indiana Jones and his sixteenyearold daughter, Halle are asked to fly to Venice to find the Lost Cimarosa Manuscripts. The Austrian royal family is ready to stop them in their quest. Will Indiana allow his daughter to grow up, after his wife died?
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: This is my first time trying an Indiana Jones fanfic. I've only seen Last Crusade and Raiders, and I've only seen those twice, so please correct me on anything that is wrong. Cimarosa is a piano and opera composer, so there is musical jargon that will be in later chapters. Please tell me if you like the concept, or if it is too weak. To my knowledge, I only own Halle Alice Jones, the rest belong to Steven Speilberg, the genius that he is. Please review, as I'm always looking to improve. **

**-Darlene**

Indiana Jones and the Lost Cimarosa Manuscript - Prologue

"And the one thing we must worry about is the legends surrounding archaeology. We only need the facts, never the myths ladies and gentlemen." Professor Indiana Jones was standing in a lecture hall, facing almost one hundred eager freshman archaeology students. As he started on his day three "Myths vs. Facts," rant, a soft knock at the door interrupted him. The slightly plump blond secretary, April Manning, poked her head through the door of the classroom.

"Mister Jones, might I interrupt?" she asked.

"I'm in the middle of a class, April, can't it…"

"It's urgent, Mister Jones." Mrs. Manning interrupted. "It's about your daughter."

At the mention of his daughter, Professor Jones dropped his chalk, earning a few giddy giggles from the girls in the front row. "Class dismissed." he barely managed to speak.

Indiana Jones' daughter, Halle Alice Jones, was Indiana Jones' only child with his wife, Marion, who had died three years earlier. Halle never learned of her father's earlier adventures concerning artifacts like the Holy Grail and the Ark of the Covenant. The early September heat did not offer Indiana any comfort for the impending phone call. Halle was strong-willed, as were her mother and father. Though small in stature, only five feet four inches, she possessed a girlish look with soft brown eyes and curly brown hair, but a spirit like that of a wild mare…uncontainable. Indiana mentally prepared himself for the worst when he picked up the telephone.

"Halle?" he asked.

"Hi, dad." Halle sighed into the phone.

"What's the matter, sweetheart? Are you hurt or something?" Halle didn't respond.

"Halle?" Indiana asked once more.

"I'm fine; I'm just need to get bailed out of jail."

_Bailed out of jail! This is a new experience…_Indiana thought. Words could not express how angry he was with his sixteen-year-old daughter.

"Why are you in jail?" Indiana asked calmly.

"Some idiot on the street in front of school was starting to bad mouth you and mom. So I said, 'Shut up, or I'm going to have to hit you.' but he kept on going. So then I said 'I told you to shut the f…'"

"Halle!" Indiana warned to cut his daughter off.

"Sorry." came Halle's non-remorseful reply. "But then he said, 'You're a girl, you wouldn't hit me if you tried.' so I did, and then his buddies got into this brawl, and the cops him and me in jail for unnecessary roughness on school grounds."

Indiana rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. He would rather face a pit of snakes than his lately rebellious daughter.

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Halle Jones sat in a cold, cement prison cell, finally separated from those jerks that insulted her mother. _Mom would never deserve that…_she thought angrily. _And neither would Dad._ A guard came to the door of the barred cell, using a barrage of keys to open the door. "Your father has paid your bail, Miss Jones…you are free to leave." he said in a gruff baritone. Halle pulled herself up from the hard cement floor, walking out down the hallway, to be met with her less-than-amused father. "Let's go." he said, no emotion being expressed in his voice. Halle sat down in the Jones family car, her gaze remaining locked on the parking meters lining the street in front of her.

"Care to explain this, Halle?" Indiana asked, starting the car.

"I was just standing up for you and Mom." Halle said.

"Sometimes, you need to let things go, Halle."

"So, you've totally forgotten Mom."

"I never said that…"

"It was most definitely implied."

"What are you talking about, Halle?"

"Why do you feel like you have to hide everything from me? I'm sixteen for God's sake, Dad! You hardly ever talk about Mom, and you say that she was just making up stories about the Holy Grail, and the Ark of the Covenant, and your days fighting Hitler in his quest for total and complete domination of the human world as you and I know it! What are you trying to kid me about?"

Indiana was stunned into silence, as he put the car into park in the driveway. Halle looked back at him, her brown eyes flashing with defiance. Indiana was shocked at his teenage daughter's resemblance to her late mother.

"You know what? It doesn't matter. You'd never understand…Mom would. I want adventure…but you are the one who can't let things go."

Halle turned and ran into the house, up the stairs to her loft/converted bedroom, locking the door to the staircase behind her. Indiana called her name multiple times up the staircase, only to be met with stony silence. Indiana walked back to the kitchen, sitting down with a heavy sigh. He looked to Marion's smiling face in the last family portrait they ever had taken. "Marion…what do I do now?" he asked.

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It was late that night when Halle finally decided to come downstairs. There was the temporary "How was your day?" dinner conversation over minute-rice and leftover chicken. Indiana had to admit, it was getting harder to connect to his teenaged daughter. Halle left the table to go practice piano, surrounding the living room with the haunting sounds of Chopin's _Nocturne in E flat_, and Cimarosa's _Sonata in D minor_, an unfinished classical Sonata. The shrill ring of the telephone interrupted his thoughts.

"Hello?" he asked wearily.

"Junior? Are you there?"

"I told you, I like Indiana, Dad."

"Never mind that. Do you know the Dominico Cimarosa _Sonata in D minor_?"

"Yeah, Halle's playing it right now. As I recall, it's unfinished…the last part was lost in a separate manuscript or something like that…"

"Yes! A Spanish friend of mine says they now have a definite lead on where that particular manuscript might be! Along with that missing final movement, there are two other completed Sonatas, as well as a few Italian arias for an uncompleted opera, "_Antimezia,_" shortly before his death. They say it was stolen from Cimarosa, and never recovered in time for him to publish it. Instead, they say credit for some of the stolen work was given to Antonio Salieri, who's style was very similar to that of Cimarosa."

"Salieri…the_ Kapellmeister _of Austria from 1788 to 1824?"

"The very one. Junior, they want you and Halle to come to Venice and recover the missing manuscript!"

"Halle? No Dad, I don't want to put her in harm's way, she's too young for this! Besides, when Halle was born, I decided and committed to Marion that I wouldn't go back to hunting down historical artifacts."

"Junior…they specifically requested you and Halle. They're willing to pay handsomely, and provide military support. However, the Austrian royal family isn't too keen on this. They have military patrols to protect the manuscripts of the _Kapellmeister_."

"Then we're not going!"

"Indiana…think about it…please?"

Indiana sighed and hung up after promising to think about it. Upstairs, Halle set down the phone after making sure that both her father and grandfather had hung up. "We're going to Venice…or there's going to be hell to pay. Halle Jones and the Lost Cimarosa Manuscripts..." she smiled. At the sound of Indiana walking up the staircase, she quickly turned off her nightstand light and threw the blanket over her head.

"Goodnight, sweetheart." Indiana whispered to the dark. Halle smiled to herself. Whether it was by hook or crook, she would convince her father to go to Venice, to find the Lost Cimarosa manuscript, and bring her with him. The prospect elated her beyond comprehension, until she was able to drift off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 1

Indiana Jones and the Lost Cimarosa Manuscripts

'**Ello loves! My life has been a hectic mess between deciphering Shakespeare and taking an English test on it. I swear; there were points where I could have progressed further if I had been reading hieroglyphics. I warned you about my horrible updating of stories. You probably want to shoot me right now.  What can ya do? **

**I've also realized a critical error. "Manuscripts" is meant to be plural in the title. Many apologies for that. Hopefully, I will learn "2 not trust ze zpell chquer 2 find al my erors." -Darlene**

**DakariChick: Yes, I am a student pianist, and I can play most standard classical literature, including the Cimarosa _Sonata in D Minor_ mentioned here. I have three more fanfictions (Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean & Mission: Impossible) that I am planning to put up shortly. 3 fanfics at once, plus more novels and other things… I'm losing my mind!**

**Dobbit: I come from a German/Austrian background as well, so I have some background on the German language. Thanks for the offer, if I ever feel like the German grammar is wrong, I will email you for help. **

**Disclaimer: looks at birth certificate Well, I'm not named Steven Speilberg. Must not be mine. Halle is, though. **

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_**Indiana Jones and the Lost Cimarosa Manuscripts – Chapter 1**_

Halle's eyes fluttered open as the first few rays of golden sunlight graced her attic bedroom. She didn't hear any noise coming from the lower level of the Jones home…unusual for a Wednesday morning. Generally, Halle's father, Indiana, would get up at four in the morning, jog around the block, shower, read the morning paper, leave a box of cereal out for Halle, along with her completed homework and lunch, and by six he was out of the house, heading down to the university. Halle had learned to deal without a parent around since her mother, Marion Ravenwood Jones, died three years earlier. Halle had to admit, however, it was hard being a sixteen-year-old girl, with only a very controlling and overprotective father. Noticing the lack of sound and movement in the Jones household, Halle very quietly got out of bed, grabbed a baseball bat, and proceeded, cautiously down the staircase.

Halle opened the door from the staircase, to creep into the kitchen. The sliding glass door, which led to the driveway and carport, was locked, and her father's car was absent. Halle's heart jumped into her throat when she noticed the kitchen, in total disarray. Her school books and lunch were not out on the kitchen bar, and peering down the hallway, books littered the floor of the study. Among those books were all of Halle's classical piano books. Noticing a note tacked to the bulletin board in the study, Halle tore it down, reading aloud.

_"Dear Halle, I apologize for our fight yesterday. It was wrong of me to lead you to the misconception that I did not care for your dreams or your mother. Please accept my apology. On another note, an emergency meeting came up late last night. I studied all night last night, and left early this morning. Sorry if the messy appearance of the house scared you. Since you are sixteen, I expect you to be ready for school on time. I'll arrive to pick you up at 2:30. Afterwards, what do you say to a late lunch? My treat. I love you, Halle…more than you know. –Dad."_

"Dad, what has gotten into you?" Halle asked. Then, Halle realized the brevity of the situation. Her father was actually considering the trip to Venice! Dropping the baseball bat, she ran upstairs to get ready.

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"Ah, Junior. Good to see you." Henry Jones smiled at his son arriving for the meeting.

"Indiana, Dad. Just Indiana." Indiana replied, sounding a little more than annoyed.

"We named the dog Indiana…What were you thinking of naming your daughter? California?"

"The prospect did come up, but we were considering Rhode Island." Indiana replied sarcastically. Heading into Indiana's secluded office, behind mountains of books and who knows what, Indiana sat with his father.

"Well?" his father asked.

"Well what?"

"What about Halle, you, Venice?"

"I'm going to Venice, Halle stays at home with a friend."

"She could be a beneficial asset to you, with her knowledge about a subject you know absolutely nothing about."

"She could get hurt!"

"Indiana…remember the Holy Grail?"

Indiana was stunned into silence. He remembered how Elsa had died in pursuit of the fabled Holy Grail, but Indiana was taught to let go.

"You need to let go, Indiana. You can't hold onto Halle forever. Will you go on her honeymoon with her? Will you go with her to college?"

Indiana just sat, absorbed in thought. How overprotective had he really become with Halle? Was he really not allowing her to test her wings?

"You see, Junior, you need to take Halle with you. Let her try, just this once."

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The bell rang at 2:25, and Indiana was waiting in the high school parking lot, waiting for Halle. She came running out promptly at 2:30. "Where to?" Indiana asked his daughter. "Anywhere…" Halle said, tossing her bag in the back. Driving down the streets of the small town, Halle broke the crushing silence. "Dad, do you remember the last time we actually sat down to have lunch and talk?" Indiana remained fixed on the road.

"Halle, that was only a few months ago, I'm sure…"

"No Dad, it was longer. I had a milkshake and was wearing a pink skirt, a white sweater, and I still had pigtails. Do you remember what we talked about?"

"Halle, I…"

"Tell me! Do you remember or not?"

"We talked about…" Indiana truly could not remember.

"Me starting first grade." Halle's brown eyes glared at her father, boring holes into him.

"Halle…can we start this over again?"

"Dad, I realize that it's been hard for you ever since Mom died, but for crying out loud! Let it go, Dad!"

_'Indiana, let it go.' 'You can't hold on to Halle forever.' 'Let her try, just this once.' _

Indiana pulled the car up in the parking lot. His father's words penetrated deep, resonating with what Halle had just said. Pulling the key out of the ignition, he turned to face Halle. "All the stories your mother told you…" Indiana sighed. "Are true."

Halle was breathless. "Really?"

"Really." Indiana replied. "Down to the last detail. Halle, you remind me so much of what your mother was like, which is why I promised her that I would never put you in danger. I'm being tested now, as I received a phone call last night. You know about Domenico Cimarosa, right?"

"Yes…remember, I'm playing one of his sonatas."

"Apparently, at the time of Cimarosa's death, his final manuscript, containing the last few scenes of his final opera, and a few sonatas were in it, published under Antonio Salieri, the _Kapellmeister_ of Austria's royal symphony. The Italian government has asked me…us…to go to Venice and recover the missing manuscripts."

"For real?" Halle had a hard time curbing her excitement at her father's acknowledgement of the Venetian government asking for both Jones archaeologists.

"For real. And…I'm going to say…"

Halle held her breath in anticipation.

"No."

Halle felt her world crash down with that one word. _Did Dad just say "no"? He couldn't have! _

"But Dad!" Halle started.

"Halle, I promised your mother…"

"Forget the promise! You can't hold onto me forever, Dad! You think I'm still your little girl, but I'm not!" Halle said, running out of the car, all the way home, ignoring her father's calls behind her.

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Halle sat on her bed, sobbing, looking at the pictures of her parents in her locket. Ignoring her father's knocks on the door, she sat, staring at the beige walls.

"Halle?" Indiana asked. Halle didn't respond.

"Halle, if you're in there, I've given in much thought and…" Indiana knelt down, he grabbed Halle's loose hairpin underneath a loose floorboard and began to pick the lock. Halle stood up at the sight of her father entering the room.

"I've been locked out enough times, I know how to get back in." he said. Continuing, he stood against the door. "Halle, I do still consider you my little girl and I would hate to see you hurt. But everybody is telling me to start letting you grow up. I admit, it's one of the harder things I've ever had to do. Halle, only if you promise to excruciatingly careful, and obey what I say, then I will consider taking you with me to Venice." Indiana finished. Halle smiled, walking over to her closet, pulling out two objects; both were very familiar to Indiana.

Pulling on her father's familiar brown hat, and revealing her mother's pistol, she looked at her father with a coy smile. "Dad," she started, showing him the pistol. "I'm always careful."

Indiana Jones walked over to his daughter, and squeezed her tightly.

"I know you are."


End file.
